Everything you need to know about Europe's greatest club competition
The UEFA Champions League — previously the European Cup — has been the pinnacle of European club football since 1955. For generations of football fans, winning this competition represents the ultimate achievement in club football. Here's everything you need to know about the competition's history, records and most memorable moments.
The European Cup was the brainchild of Gabriel Hanot, a French football journalist, who proposed a continent-wide club competition after reading an English newspaper's claim that Wolverhampton Wanderers were the "champions of the world." UEFA organised the first edition in 1955-56, won by Real Madrid.
Real Madrid dominated the early era, winning the first five editions. Their 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final at Hampden Park — with Alfredo Di Stéfano scoring three and Ferenc Puskás scoring four — is still considered one of the greatest performances in the competition's history.
In 1992, UEFA restructured the competition and renamed it the UEFA Champions League, adding a group stage and opening it to non-champions from larger leagues. The rebranding brought a significant commercial expansion and transformed the competition into the world's most lucrative club tournament.
| Club | Country | Titles | Last Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | Spain | 15 | 2024 |
| AC Milan | Italy | 7 | 2007 |
| Liverpool | England | 6 | 2019 |
| Bayern Munich | Germany | 6 | 2020 |
| Barcelona | Spain | 5 | 2015 |
| Ajax | Netherlands | 4 | 1995 |
| Inter Milan | Italy | 3 | 2010 |
| Manchester United | England | 3 | 1999 |
| Juventus | Italy | 2 | 1996 |
| Benfica | Portugal | 2 | 1962 |
Liverpool trailed 3-0 at half-time before staging the most dramatic comeback in Champions League final history. Steven Gerrard, Vladimír Šmicer and Xabi Alonso scored to level at 3-3 before Liverpool won on penalties. Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek made two remarkable saves from Andriy Shevchenko in the shootout.
With United losing 1-0 going into injury time, Teddy Sheringham equalised in the 91st minute, then Ole Gunnar Solskjær prodded home a winner from a corner in the 93rd. The comeback remains one of the most dramatic moments in football history, completing United's historic Treble.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid became the first team to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the modern era. Casemiro, Ronaldo and Marco Asensio completed a dominant display.
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